Process

This project aims to make the impact of water waste more visible and engaging by transforming everyday water usage activities—such as brushing teeth, watering plants, doing laundry, and showering—into an interactive visual experience. Inspired by Antonin Fourneau’s Water Light Graffiti, which uses LED lights to respond to water, our project integrates large water drop visuals to illustrate the amount of water consumed by each activity. Each unit of measurement is represented by 1 LED on a Neopixel Strip, where 1 LED equals 1 gallon of water.

When users interact with objects such as a toothbrush, plant, laundry machine, or showerhead, the LED lights cascade into the water drop, visually accumulating over time. This dynamic representation emphasizes the scale of water use and raises awareness about mindful consumption. By addressing the often-overlooked consequences of water waste, the project motivates users to reflect on their habits through an engaging and hands-on experience. Our design incorporates four tilt sensors attached to 3D-printed objects, which are hidden inside the 3D-printed object and are secured by the tape and a cardboard in the bottom of each object. These objects are placed into laser-cut holders that are glued to the sides of the frame (2 holders on each side in the front). When these sensors are titled, they will trigger corresponding videos in Processing to display messages like, “A 10-minute shower can use up to 25 gallons of water” for the shower head while also activating the LED lights to visually show the gallons used for each corresponding activity.

Our project incorporates various skills and techniques we learned throughout the semester, including 3D printing (using Tinkercad), laser cutting for the holders (using wood) and the large water drop (using acrylic), coding with Arduino and Processing (for tilt sensors and video processing), soldering, woodworking, and wiring.

Our initial vision was to create a multi-faceted yet educational user experience that engages users both physically (through the tilt sensors) and visually (with videos and the Neopixel strip). To achieve this, we designed holders with attached signs and intuitive wiring, allowing users to place the 3D-printed objects into the corresponding holders. This interaction triggers different videos and varying amounts of LEDs on the Neopixel strip, enhancing the overall interactive experience.